Irondale City Council may vote to nearly double its pay

IRONDALE, Alabama -- The Irondale City Council is considering a pay raise for the councilors and mayor next year.

The council had a first reading June 7 on a proposed ordinance that would institute the pay increase.

All council members make $700 a month now. The proposed ordinance calls for raising the council president's pay to $1,300 a month; the president pro-tem's pay to $1,150; and council members' pay to $1,000. The proposal calls for the mayor's pay to increase from $39,600 to $42,900 a year.

If passed, the increase would be effective Nov. 5, 2012, after the next administration takes office.

A no vote by Councilman Terry Bearden prevented the council from passing the ordinance. A unanimous vote was required to pass the ordinance, since it was the first reading of it.

Bearden said he voted no because the last council increased the current council's pay in 2007.

"I don't think it's right for the council to vote for a raise until the employees receive a raise," Bearden said.

Councilman Bob Saunders, who proposed the ordinance, said the pay increase is needed. One reason, he said, is because Irondale is expected during the next election to change its form of government from council with a voting mayor to council headed by council president and mayor with veto power.

Alabama law says cities' forms of government have to change after U.S. Census figures show their populations have reached 12,000 or more.

The 2010 Census showed Irondale's population at 12,349.

Saunders said Irondale council members have begun chairing more committees and attending more meetings than councilors in the past.

"This is a very active council," Saunders said. "You have to remember that, by law, all we get paid for is council meetings."

The council can vote on the ordinance again as early as Thursday.

Also at the meeting, the council voted to change the payment schedule for councilors and the mayor from once a month to twice a month to match pay periods of other city workers.